It's Christmas Day, the presents are opened, now what?

[DeltaDiamond001]

We wake up around 8 or 9AM, sip some coffee while opening gifts, then make a huge breakfast afterwards (usually around 10) and give everyone a job to do, like setting the table, mixing pancake batter, etc. It's a great family activity that isn't done that often in our house.

Around 1 or 2 we head over to a relative's house for Christmas dinner with the family and a huge gift exchange. It is so much fun, but sometimes I wish we didn't feel so obligated to go and could just hang around the house and enjoy each other's company... and the gifts...

 

[CowboyCO]

In our family, we do stockings and then have a HUGE breakfast. We open gifts after breakfast. Then we start prepare to snack foods for the day -- dips, veggies, finger foods. Then we start preparing for the big feast and put together and try out the new toys, games and try on clothes.

We usually do an early dinner between 3-5 and then settle in for a rented movie. Then after the movie, time for desserts!

It's a full day. Plus, we do the phone tree as well.

 

[swissfamilyrobinson]

Something I had read about years ago and incorporated in our family's traditions is making Christmas last all day. We do stockings first, open presents and eat breakfast casserole (every year - it's tradition and I put it together the night before). Then open more presents and play/try on new clothes/prepare our Christmas afternoon feast. The kids always save three presents each for Christmas night, to open after it gets dark and we've eaten (usually Prime Rib) and visited with family and made it back home. My husband reads the Luke passage out of the Bible about the birth of Jesus and then we open the presents by the fire.

Believe it or not, my children have always been willing to save back some presents and have something to look forward to at the end of Christmas day! Even though sometimes it's really hard!

 

[mello]

So far I've only read the first page of this thread (plan to read the rest next - some good ideas here!) But a few ideas I didn't see:

You could make a special meal later in the day, either instead of or in addition to your breakfast.

Or maybe invite some friends over for a special dessert and games later in the day?
(we do this the day after Christmas, and some favorite games are Balderdash, Sequence, Apples to Apples, Compatability, Catch Phrase... we try to find a new game each year.) Or you could do an outdoor game like soccer, touch football, etc.

You could watch or record the Disney Christmas Parade - it's on at noon, I think on Christmas Day.

You could have a family movie night at home - get a new movie or two for the family for Christmas, make popcorn and watch together.

Maybe go sing carols or bake cookies to take around at a retirement home?

I would actually like to have your dilemma. Since we've been married we've always had to do our own "3 Christmases" version lol! Except for the years we were stationed in Germany with no family - those years we always invited a bunch of single guys from the baracks over for dinner.

When I was a kid, we lived far from any extended family, so we developed the tradition of going to the Ice Capades on Christmas night - we were fortunate that it happened to always come through our town that week. We had some friends who always went ice skating that afternoon - but then we lived way up north.

Whatever you decide - have a Merry Christmas!

 

[carebee21]

Why not use the city you live in to your advantage? There are some great decorations on the strip (Off the top of my head Bellagio conservatory is gorgeous and the Bellagio fountains have been known to dance to Christmas music.) If you don't feel like cooking, I'm sure there are great buffets (we've never done Christmas buffets, but we've done Thanksgiving ones and they are great and they incorporate holiday favorites.) And I know you said budget, but maybe you could even take in a Vegas show. Most are still going on Christmas and perhaps the tickets could be a Christmas gift or suprise. A lot of them offer Vegas local pricing, or Lion King has a buy one get one free special right now. And lastly, pretty much any feature in the hotels or Vegas strip "monument" is going to be open. The bowling alleys at South Point and Red Rock will be open, circus circus amusement park will be open, Madame Tussad's wax museum will be open, Mandalay Bay shark reef, etc.

 

[mhsjax]

Since your kids are older I think you could start teaching them about patience. Set a "wake up" time so that everyone can sleep in a bit. When my sister and I were kids we had to wake up the parents and not until they were awake and waiting could we even see the tree! Normally Dad would start the coffee and turn on the tree lights while Mom would put out a tray of breakfast pastries and treats by the tree and then put Christmas music on. Even as young kids we learned patience. We took turns opening presents and while we certainly weren't militant, the parents were always good about helping us space out the morning. The phone always seemed to ring during the present opening so when it did, present opening would stop and we would all get on speakerphone to talk to whatever relative.

Since you don't have family in town do you know another family that doesn't have relatives nearby? It doesn't have to be a big formal Christmas dinner with them, just have apps and cocktails to enjoy with "drop ins" on Christmas Day. We pretty much have open house on Christmas Day. Over the years it has been a hodge podge of friends and family. Once all the presents were opened, we cleaned up the mess and then set out food for neighbors and family who dropped by.

Love the drop in idea. This is what we do. We don't get together with extended family on Christmas day, because no one wants to travel with kids. It does get very boring, so we usually try and have people over or go over to someones house for drinks and snacks. I hate a dull boring quiet Christmas, didn't grow up with them and I hate them as an adult.

 

[nunzia]

When I was growing up our Christmas day lasted all day! My dad was a former Marine and engineer so he was very regimented. This is probably going to sound crazy to most people but we really loved how my dad (and mom!) handled Christmas morning.

We'd wake up and look in our stockings (only after mom & dad were there to watch) - go to Mass - come home and take pictures while we were still dressed up - then change into comfy clothes - eat a big breakfast - then start opening presents. It would be close to noon before the first gift was opened!

We were not allowed to "storm the tree". My mom would hand each of us kids a present and we each took turns opening ours as everyone watched. Then we'd wait 1/2 hour and do it again. This gave us the opportunity to take the time to savor and appreciate each gift we received and make the day last. We'd have presents left to open right up until Christmas dinner.

I remember going to our cousin's house out of state one year for Christmas. On Christmas morning my cousins ran downstairs and starting grabbing presents and ripping them open. My siblings and I just sat there with our jaws dropped because we couldn't believe it. That's not how you did it!

I tried to follow the same schedule as my parents when I had my DD but my DH came from a "storm the tree" family so he wanted to let DD do that too.

To fill in the rest of Christmas day now we watch Christmas movies and play board games. And sometimes we pull out old photo albums and look at old family pictures - always provides a good laugh!

YES..our Christmas time was very similar and we do it the same way now with our grandkids. Gifts passed out ONE AT A TIME!!, everyone shares in the seeing what the person gets..there are snacks and stuff while opening is happening (cookies, cocoa, coffee) and a casserole is in the oven for brunch. It takes a long time to slowly open presents and I like this..we build up to Christmas and then just tear through it?? noooooo (DH family cannot seem to get this figured out..messy loud free for all and you don't see anything anyone got)
We would spend the day playing board games, watching Christmas movies, napping..etc. Since kids are older and you don't care for the movie idea, how about getting a new family board game or XBOX or whatever game that all can enjoy (Guilty Party, a dance game etc) and then have time for that. How about a dinner that everyone works on to prepare together? How about a jigsaw puzzle everyone puts together?
..and then a nap..napping is good

 

[mrseace711]

We head to the movies! =) Last year was our 1st time doing that and it ended our Christmas nicely =) We have Christmas morning with our kids make breakfast after opening presents, get dressed head over to my parents house who always go all out for my children (only grandchildren) have lunch then head to the movie.

 

[Jedana]

DS is allowed to rummage his stocking (Santa always leaves the stockings by the bed Christmas eve). He is not allowed to wake anyone up. (This is the rule that the girls had as well, when they were young.)

Mom (me) is usually up by 6 anyways, and has coffee made (well, this year, the Keurig will be turned on, lol) as well as Orange rolls (tradition), and the tree is turned on. I will also turn on either the radio for Christamas music or tv for a parade (out west...now we're in the east, it'll be turned to music channels in the morning).

Then I go wake up DH, and he goes and gets DS. (again, same traditions as when the girls were little). I'm in the living room w/camera to get that first reaction. Then DH and I get our coffee, we go sit down and DH hands out gifts, one at a time so we can see what is given! I collect wrapping paper into an empty bag or box, to keep the mess to a minimum.

Once we're done, everyone eats and we watch parades. Then DH pops in A Christmas Story (or tunes it in on the tv) and it plays mostly all day. We play games or the kids play with their toys. If there is a good movie out, we'll head to the movie theater in the afternoon.

We have leftovers from the night before for lunch and dinner (Chinese food--which I always order extra of for this reason--and the cheese/crackers/veggie trays). I used to do the big holiday meal, and I got tired of being stuck in the kitchen for 2 hours while the guys played. So no more!

Christmas day is our relaxing day--after all the hustle and bustle and frazzledness of the weeks before, I love having a day where we relax and do nothing.

Once DS is done with the SC, we may just go spend the day at Disney and do all the presents the night before!

 

[disykat]

We laze around in the middle of the day after a big morning of church, brunch, gifts, etc. We don't do a big dinner. Around 4 or so, we set out heavy appetizers and desserts and friends start showing up for visiting and playing games.

 

[koolaidmoms]

We spend the entire day in our pajamas, eating, opening gifts and just enjoying being together. We open our presents differently than most families I know.

We start with stockings prior to breakfast and then we all sit down to breakfast together.

After breakfast everyone opens 2 or 3 gifts. Then we take a break. If someone got a movie we may go watch it, if it is a board game we all go play it together or the kids may take their things into the family room to play with or look at.

We wait for an hour or two before we open another 2-3 gifts. This goes on all day. No my children do not receive an obscene amount of gifts usually one large gift (about $50 and maybe 10 smaller things). We play with what we open.

We lunch. We nap and then open another round of gifts. Usually about 6-7 pm we are opening our last round of gifts.

We usually try to make sure there is a game or something we can do as a family in each round of opening gifts. The children then get to play with what they open and it is not just throw things aside in the thrill of opening gifts. Of course the usual socks and underpants are mixed in with the clothes but usually the kids each get a movie or two and at least one or two "family" games.

My kids love it and it makes our day special because we spent it really enjoying being a family.

 

[AndreaDM]

Our rule is no one gets into the presents until mom and dad have had at least one cup of coffee! Then let the chaos begin! We open presents while having coffee and pastries, then around noon we have a brunch with mimosas, and then appetizers later in the day. We don't have a lot of extended family in the area, all of DH's family lives in NY so we go see them a few days later, so we usually have some friends over later in the day for apps, drinks and games. PJ pants are the uniform, ha! I love a comfy, lazy day all to ourselves since there is so much going on right before and right after the big day.

Our 2 favorite board games right now, Apples to Apples and the Game of Things, fun for all ages!

 

[snoopy5386]

My aunt turns gift opening into a scavenger hunt with clues and most of the gifts hidden all over the house. Makes the gift opening last longer.

 

[la79al]

I saw the other day that if you order a bike on Walmart.com and have it shipped to your house, it will not be assembled. You could always order a few bikes for Christmas, putting them together should take most of the afternoon .

 

[kerplop]

I don't know if it was because I grew up in the city, but we always went to the movies on Christmas night!

 

[mhsjax]

I do have a question for some of you, for those of you that state you stay in your jammies all day, I have to ask because I tried it once, do you shower and put them back on, or stay the way you woke up. We did this one year, and by a little after lunch I felt so disgusting and nasty that it ruined my whole Christmas. So I really was just wondering. I see that a lot of people do it and love it. I have to have a shower, or I just can't function.

 

[sk!mom]

I do have a question for some of you, for those of you that state you stay in your jammies all day, I have to ask because I tried it once, do you shower and put them back on, or stay the way you woke up. We did this one year, and by a little after lunch I felt so disgusting and nasty that it ruined my whole Christmas. So I really was just wondering. I see that a lot of people do it and love it. I have to have a shower, or I just can't function.

DD and I love "stay in jammies" day. We don't do it on Christmas Day but usually do it once during the holiday break. I always shower at night before going to bed so I'm not skipping a morning shower. In the evening of a day spent in jammies, I'll shower and put on clean pajamas. I do usually put on a bit of make up and make sure that my hair looks ok.

On Christmas, we also do the slow one gift at a time opening of gifts. Then we spend the day playing games or watching movies, and then in the evening, we head out to the movies.

When my kids were little, we spent the day assembling toys and figuring them out. I like Christmas better, now. Much more relaxing for DH and I,

This year, we're trying something different and leaving for vacation on the 26th. I'm going to try hard to NOT spend the day packing. I want it to be a good day for my adult son who's not going on the vacation but will be here for Christmas.

 

[mhsjax]

DD and I love "stay in jammies" day. We don't do it on Christmas Day but usually do it once during the holiday break. I always shower at night before going to bed so I'm not skipping a morning shower. In the evening of a day spent in jammies, I'll shower and put on clean pajamas. I do usually put on a bit of make up and make sure that my hair looks ok.

On Christmas, we also do the slow one gift at a time opening of gifts. Then we spend the day playing games or watching movies, and then in the evening, we head out to the movies.

When my kids were little, we spent the day assembling toys and figuring them out. I like Christmas better, now. Much more relaxing for DH and I,

This year, we're trying something different and leaving for vacation on the 26th. I'm going to try hard to NOT spend the day packing. I want it to be a good day for my adult son who's not going on the vacation but will be here for Christmas.

YOu obviously haven't seen my hair in the am. lol. Nothing short of a full blown shower and blow dry could help this mess. These is no looking in the mirror to make sure it looks ok. It is a scary thing. I am just a shower freak, always have been. Then again, growing up, I always told my mom that I wanted one of those big fancy, everyone gets dressed up, soap opera Christmases.

 

[ssawka]

Our Christmas is:

1. Wake up and eat breakfast (dd10 is not overly excied about presents, so she can wait)
2. Open presents
3. Watch the Disney Christmas parade
4. Watch A Christmas Story (I do anyway!)
5. Then when family comes, I start making the Christmas margaritas
6. Eat dinner
7. Open presents from relatives

 

[angierae]

We're usually running around all over the place - up to open gifts (MIL comes over and opens gifts with us) and then we drive an hour to my stepdad's and spend a few hours there, then I drop DD off with her dad in the afternoon and DH and I have dinner with his mom. On the years she's in Arizona with his brother, we go to the movies in the evening.

This year will be weird because it's my first Christmas without DD - we're going to Arizona so my MIL can have both of her sons together for Christmas, but DD decided she didn't want to go, so she's staying home with her dad. It's going to be so weird. (She has an elderly great-grandfather and she doesn't want to miss a Christmas with him.)